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Websites must make a good first impression to get, and keep, the attention of users, Danielle Rodabaugh writes. Before setting up a website, companies should outline goals for the site, then populate it with well-written, personable and regularly updated content. Finally, proofread the whole site several times. "Some people won't notice grammatical flaws, but you can bet that the ones who do will reconsider working with a business that can't take the time to ensure accuracy," Rodabaugh concluded.

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Spending by small businesses on mobile and social media and other Web properties jumped to an average of $1,190 over the past 12 months, an increase from $876 less than a year earlier -- even though total ad spending was flat, according to BIA/Kelsey. Focusing on mobile, 14.7% of smaller businesses said they had a mobile website, and 22% said they planned to add one soon.

Building on a study that analyzed the speech patterns of known psychopaths, Florida Atlantic University researchers analyzed 2,927 Twitter users in 80 nations and found 41 users whose messages were closely aligned with the psychopathic profile. The researchers note, however, that while they felt there they could spot someone with psychopathic tendencies with a "reasonably high degree of accuracy," such tendencies shouldn't be taken as a sign that a person is likely to commit a crime.

Digital publishers shouldn't pursue viral hits at the expense of producing high-quality content, says BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith. It's hard to predict in advance which stories will go viral on Twitter and Facebook, so it's important to stay focused on creating well-written, original content. "It's about producing stuff that people want to share. And really there is no secret formula to that," Smith says.

Customers who use very specific search terms to find a company's website are often high-quality prospects, and, by catering to these customers, one company was able to achieve a 9% conversion rate. The company concentrated on improving its ranking in search engines, offering useful content and providing links to its online store.

Free airline food, an unusual sight these days, is making a comeback on Horizon Air, which partnered with Air Advertainment to offer advertiser-sponsored snack boxes. Creative Labs backed the first set of boxes, which included calls to enter a Facebook contest. "We can broadcast in a big way to build a brand image or be really razor sharp with accuracy," Air Advertainment's Ryan Matway said. "Marketers have asked if they could control all of the flights into the [consumer-electronics show] or sporting events like the Super Bowl."